Between a rock and … oh, never mind

This rock on the Town Common has become a point of contention. The location of a large rock that will bear a bronze plaque recognizing the Princeton Center National Register Historic District has elicited strong feelings from selectmen, Historic Commission members and abutters.

The rock sits at the base of the town common near the gazebo and a proposal was made by the commission to relocate it near the stone wall in front of the library.

After a lengthy discussion between selectmen and members of the Princeton Historic Commission and Public Lands Review Committee Chairman Joe Lee, selectmen voted 2-1 to keep the rock where it is.

At the request of the selectmen, a meeting was held Sept. 19 to review a request from the historical commission to relocate the rock. The meeting notice was posted on the town Web site and an e-mail was sent to public officials, committee members and volunteers.

"Only four people came to the meeting," said Lee. "Two are members of the historical commission. We looked at the location in front of the library and the present location. We decided unanimously that the site at the bottom of the common below the gazebo was the best location and a balance for what's already been done on the common."

Selectboard Chairman Alan Sentkowski said he was concerned about the process. "There's been a month and a half of talk about this to the point of ridiculousness," he said. Sentkowski refused to vote on the matter until a public review is done on the middle or main portion of the town common.

Selectman Joe O'Brien said he had attended a meeting of the review committee. "We've talked about the town common for months. Let's just leave the rock where it is. We're never going to make all the people happy all the time."

Historic Commission Chairman Joyce Anderson said she had received calls from some abutters who were opposed to the rock at the bottom of the common, so she decided to call others for their opinion. "We talked about the new location near the library and all agreed it was a better place for the rock," she said. Anderson checked with library trustees who also supported the move.

Anderson said she understood that selectmen supported the new location and they suggested it go before the Public Lands Review Committee.

"A notice went out and people didn't come," said O'Brien.

Anderson said the abutters weren't on the e-mail list and weren't notified of the meeting.

Lee said the site at the bottom of the common makes more sense because the bronze plaque identifying the Princeton Center Historic District will be in view of the traveling public. Lee said the committee spent six months searching for the "perfect" rock that is now in place and "now all of a sudden some members have changed their minds."

"I'm curious about why there is so much intensity about this," said Selectman Raymond Dennehy. "I'm somewhat ambivalent about this. It's a great little monument. I hope it finds a home."

O'Brien and Dennehy voted to leave the rock where it is until a design plan of the common is done. Sentkowski was opposed.